The Big One

i had the Big One on Monday - I faced down the 4-0 and am still alive.  So, how did I celebrate?  I worked Camp Hickory at church.  But I did get to remember some lovely moments from my "Say Goodbye to My 30s" cruise.  The ship was wonderful, but I did miss my fam after a while.  My husband made this trip possible for me so I could have something I have always wanted - a real vacation!  It was great to get away and enjoy lots of pampering and meet lots of people from all around the world.  And getting a real breakfast every morning that I did not prepare was priceless.  And the flirty, Italian maitre d' was fun, too.

I watched about a dozen movies on the ship and lounged on the decks and was thoroughly entertained without having to lift a finger.  (But I did lift my feet - I stuck to the stairs on the trip.  It helps justify the evening desserts and the pastry cafe.)

I went to Maine and enjoyed a truly beautiful part of the country I had never seen before.

I ate my very own lobster in Maine.  I ate a lot of seafood on this trip and I saved enough calories so that I only gained two pounds total.  I did pretty good.  I have already knocked off those two pounds since then.

I went to Boston and roamed around that large, crazy city.  It was pretty cool, but noticeably dirty, too.

I went to Rhode Island and toured some ridiculous historic mansions and soaked up the yachting culture of the tiny state.  Profane wealth is kind of interesting to me.  Then I at ice cream filled with chocolate covered potato chips and it was perfect.

It's Been a While

 Not only did I take a blog vacation, I went to Mom camp.  On a cruise ship.  In Canada.  And New England. 

Best Mom Camp Ever.

Unlike most bloggers I know, I have absolutely no photography gifts, so you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.  And honestly, I am not sure how to capture the true beauty of Prince Edward Island.  It was a cold and windy day, too, and 3,100 of my closest cruising friends descended on the little island waiting for our big excursion - the Anne of Green Gables estate.  That place was perfect and had the biggest hostas I have ever seen, since the climate there is ideal for picturesque gardens.  I can see why the author loved it so much and was so inspired by it.  And nothing smelled like fish out there in the country, as opposed to everywhere else we visited in Canada.  But I do love fish and ate lots of it, and brought home lots of Roots Canada shirts for the whole fam.  This was a fun day at Mom Camp.